If you walk to the corner of Canal and Baxter you will confronted with a plethora of Vietnamese restaurants that may as well all be identical on the outside. Four in a row, to be more exact, and you probably want to know which one to eat in.
The great news is that you can't really lose in any of them, but if you want to eat in a place that makes you feel welcome rather than rushed through like a unwanted guest, New Pasteur is the one. The small dining room is scented with the exquisite aroma of one of the greatest cuisines on the planet. The very best things on the menu (at least, of the things that we've tried) are the prominently displayed specials: the Banh Hoi Bo Nuong and Banh Hoi Nem Nuong. These piping hot, flavorfully spiced, tender dishes of BBQ pork and beef come with carrots, mint, vermicelli, cucumber, lettuce and a stack of thin rice paper to wrap it all up in. This is a favorite Vietnamese dish of ours and Pasteur does it extremely well. And that paired with a genuine smile when we walk in makes this unassuming gem one of our most frequently visited eateries in the city.
But what do you think?